Right in The Heart
by Snippets of the Dream Catcher
Summary: Tezuka's grandfather passed away and Ryuuzaki Sumire comes to attend his funeral as his grandson's ex-coach... As well as his former lover.


**_Right In the Heart_**

**Summary: **_T__ezuka's grandfather passed away and Ryuuzaki Sumire comes to attend his funeral as his grandson's ex-coach... As well as his former lover._

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own The Prince of Tennis! T_T_

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><p>Sumire's POV<p>

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><p>Spring.<p>

The Sakuras are in full bloom right now.

Kunikazu, are you in heaven now?

Do you know where I am right now?

I am in front of your vessel... Your body.

Can you see yourself? Lying inside that wretched coffin.

I am glad Sakuno is here with me although she has nothing to do with this. With her, I feel so peaceful. Without her, I don't know what am I suppose to do.

Your grandson... Kunimitsu... He seems to look the same as usual. Except that, he looks a bit more tired... Did I say a bit? Sorry about that. I meant very... _Very _tired indeed.

He looks very much like you. Except... For the eyes and hair. His is slightly bigger than yours and his hair colour tone is darker.

I wonder... Was I that important? I am sitting in the front row.

Did Kunimitsu know about it?

_Our_ past?

Or was it just because I was his ex-coach?

I feel like crying but I have no tears for you, Kunikazu. No, not because I hate you. I can't bring myself to hate you. How could I?

I loved you...

No.

I still love you.

No matter what happened.

I wonder why? It has been so long... So, so long...

Sakuno clutched my hand.

"Obaa-chan..." She must have sensed that I got even more upset.

"I am all right," I nodded my head, patting her hand. Sakuno smiled unsurely.

"I can accompany you outside if you want to."

"Its okay, Sakuno, I am fine." As usual, she's a worry-wart. But that's what I like about her. Sakuno then turned to face the front, without letting go of my hand. She was clutching it quite tightly. I squeezed it to reassure her. She loosened her grip. But just a little.

"Thank you, Ryuuzaki-sensei, for being here." Tezuka was here. I turned to look at him.

"Its okay. I was a... Good friend of your grandfather." He seems to have noticed my pause. He nodded his head and sat beside me. I am just glad he didn't ask about my slip.

"Here's the bracelet you... Your grandfather asked for."

"Thank you."

I turned back to my thoughts.

Kunikazu... Is it all right, if I call you Kuu once more?

I am still stuck in that past... Kuu.

**Flashback**

_"Say, what's your name? My name is Sumire!" A 8 year old Sumire asked._

_"... Kunikazu." The 8 year old boy replied._

_"Kunikazu... That's a pretty long name. Can I call you Kuu for short?" Sumire said in a thinking position._

_"... Do as you wish."_

**End of flashback**

Can you remember? I felt so happy back then. You smiled. I guess you were happy about it.

**Flashback**

_"Kuu! Kuu! Look!" A 10 year old Sumire jumped up and down in front of Kunikazu._

_"Sumire?" Kunikazu blinked. She handed him a bracelet. It seems to be handmade._

_"A bracelet! We are best friends, right?"_

_"Yes..."_

_"So, this bracelet is for you! Its a friendship bracelet!"_

_"Thank you, Sumire." Kunikazu smiled. Sumire grinned._

**End of flashback**

I smiled lightly at that memory. I am scared, Kuu. I am scared I am forgetting how you once were. Somehow, you were a demon. How did you manage to entrance me?

**Flashback**

_A 13 year old Sumire was eating dango._

_"Sumire, why don't you bring some to Kunikazu-kun?" Sumire's mother said gently. She was going to meet Kunikazu soon._

_"Okay!" Sumire grinned. She left the house, running to the usual spot where she would meet Kunikazu._

_"Kuu!" She waved her hand at him._

_Kunikazu stopped writing in his book to look up. Upon seeing Sumire, he nodded his head._

_"Have some dango?"_

_"Thank you." Kunikazu nodded once more._

**Timeskip to 7 years later**

_A 20 year old Sumire and Kunikazu were sitting side by side under the Sakura tree where they usually meet. Sumire's head was on Kunikazu's shoulder while he was writing. After a while, she woke up._

_"Kuu, how long did have that book? You have kept on writing in it!"_

_"Since I was 8."_

_"Wow, but why, Kuu? What is it about that fascinates you?"_

_"Hm... I don't know."_

_"Let me see?"_

_"When the time is ripe." She pouted at his response._

_"You are weird." Sumire lifted her body from Kunikazu, kneeling beside him. "But I love you for that!" With that, she tackled him and the book dropped to the ground as Kunikazu returned her hug._

**Timeskip to 2 years later**

_"Kuu... I love you." A 22 year old Sumire confessed, with a very huge blush on her face. Once again, they were under the Sakura tree. It was a night with a full moon._

_"... I know." Kunikazu said. Then, he kissed her. Hard. Sumire returned it with equal passion._

_"I will take that as a yes." Sumire said once the kiss ended._

_"Yes."_

**2 Days later...**

_"Kuu... Please! Let me see Kuu!" Sumire cried but two guards in front of the mansion blocked her. one of them pushed away._

_"Kunikazu-sama would not see you please leave! The Tezuka family have nothing to do with a commoner like you! Kuu and Kuu, its annoying! Kunikazu-sama only has one name!" One of the guards snapped._

_"Kuu... Kuu..." Sumire sobbed. Sumire's mother hugged her._

_"Sumire, please! Let's just head ba-" Sumire's mother started but was cut off._

_"No! No!" Sumire said, shaking her head. Sumire's mother had no choice but to drag her off._

**A day later...**

_"Sumire-san... Sumire-san!" A man whispered to the half-dead Sumire who was lying on her bed motionless. She did not respond._

_"I have a letter from Kunikazu-sama!" That snapped her. She turned to look at the man who was at her window. She took it and then, the man ran off. She opened it._

_Dear Sumire,_

_time flies... But I have come to a stand. Forgive me. Please forget about me._

_Love,_

_Kunikazu_

_Sumire read the letter... Once... Twice... A few more times... Ten more times... Tears rolling down rapidly, staining the letter. She checked the handwriting. She confirmed that it was his. She slumped to the ground, crying. This time, nothing can stop her tears and her heart breaking into two._

**A year later...**

_She heard he married a rich noble. Good for him. There was nothing she could do. She could only give them their blessing. Right now, she was getting married too. She met this man, Ryou at the market. he fell in love with her, asking her to marry him. He did not care for the fact that she was in love with another man._

_She accepted._

_She knew she could at least live well with him and gain the happiness she deserved._

**End of Flashback**

Kuu, not once did I ever forget you, even though he was by my side. It was short, but fulfilling. I was just disgusted with myself for not being able to love him. He, who loves me so much. I don't deserve it.

**Flashback  
>A year after marriage...<strong>

_Fate was cruel. Their son was only a few months when Ryou left her due to an accident. She had no choice but to bring him up herself. It was tough. But she thinks it was worth it to see her son satisfied and smiling._

_As long as her son was happy, she was sure can continue to live on._

_For her son._

_For herself._

**End of Flashback**

Kuu, my life was not futile. Was your futile? I hope you were happy with your wife at least.

**Flashback  
>3 decades later...<strong>

_"Kaa-san, I am going to marry this person!" Sumire smiled at her son. His girlfriend was nice and willng to adapt for him, while standing up for herself when the time comes... but she just looks a **little **timid._

_Hope she can handle him for the rest of her life._

_"Sure, do what you think is right." Sumire waved her hand._

_Her son and his girlfriend's eyes lit up._

_"Thank you!" Both bowed._

_Sumire smiled. She was getting old. Some day, her son would have to leave this old nest and build another one with a partner. And soon was that day to come._

**A year later...**

_To think her son died just when his daughter was a few months old. Sumire wonders if this is a curse._

_First, her husband and now her son._

_She hated seeing her daughter-in-law cry so hard. She was someone Sumire came to treasure. A lot._

_She and her daughter-in-law and granddaughter are currently living with her. Sumire thinks that the current living arrangements will work out. She also hopes that her daughter-in-law wouldn't take it too hard. She will be there to support her no matter what._

**3 years later...**

_Sumire's daughter-in-law died. Died out of cancer, terminal stage. Sumire has no choice but to pull little Sakuno away from her mother and raise her._

_She was sure she could do a good job and hoped she wasn't too full of herself._

**End of Flashback**

"Ryuuzaki-sensei, my grandfather asked me to hand you this," Tezuka spoke up suddenly. He handed me a book, with a letter stuck at the last page.

"Thank you," I said, shocked.

It was the book from so long ago that Kuu used to write in.

"He said to read the letter first." Tezuka said.

"I see. Thank you, Tezuka. This means a lot to me... And perhaps your grandfather." He nodded his head.

I can't believe I still want to know what you wrote, Kuu. I was just willing to accept the fact that nothing will change.

I opened the letter.

_Dear Sumire,_

_have you forgotten me? I never did... I wonder why I never fought back that time... For our love. My father's dying wish was for me to marry a good friend's daughter of his. I have no excuses for you. It is all right for you to be angry. I couldn't keep you waiting forever so I wrote you that letter. Now, I am writing this letter, Sumire._

_I am not asking for your forgiveness._

_I just want you to know that,_

_I love you._

_Forever in my heart,_

_Kuu_

What in the world... Now he uses Kuu. I can feel myself crying.

I forgive you, Kuu.

I do.

I love you.

I am not angry.

I understand.

I understand you, your character.

I love you for that, Kuu.

But I am upset, Kuu.

Why in the world could we not have been together?

Was it cause I was a commoner?

Should I blame the Gods?

"Obaa-chan..." Sakuno handed me a tissue.

"Thank you, Sakuno... For being here with me." Sakuno smiled sadly and hugged me.

"Its okay to cry."

"I know, I know. Thank you." I hugged her back. Soon, I calmed down.

The relatives of Kuu placed flowers over Kuu. Ah... They look so much like him. His genes are really potent.

"Ryuuzaki-sensei." Tezuka called me.

"Huh?"

"Please." Tezuka handed me the bracelet I passed him a moment ago. I shot him a confused look.

"Please help put this bracelet on for grandfather... Please." I understood now. I suppose I can do that. I got up and went near him, and before placing the bracelet on, I saw an identical one on his right wrist.

Kuu, thank you.

I placed the bracelet on his left wrist.

With that, I went back to my seat.

A few hours later... His funeral was over.

Kuu, just wait for me.

When I join you, is it all right if we go back to the past like old times? This time then, you must stay with me.

You did say that you love me... Right?

I love you too.

So wait for me.

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><p>My first Prince of Tennis fanfic! How was it? Leave a review?<p> 


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